The original Mighty Morphin Power Rangers is back, with the classic series celebrating its 30th anniversary. The Netflix special Mighty Morphin' Power Rangers: Once and Always reunites characters from the franchise's first iteration, and that includes its zaniest villain. Most interestingly, one element seen in the special's trailer ties into a little-known fact about said villain.
Rita Repulsa returns in the mechanical guise of Robo Rita, with this incident setting off the "Bandora Protocol." It might simply be a random name to fans of Power Rangers, but those who've seen the original Japanese Super Sentai series that birthed Haim Saban's creation, the homage is incredibly clear. Here's how Once and Always makes references to the "original" Rita Repulsa.
MMPR: Once and Always References Kyoryu Sentai Zyuranger
In the trailer for Mighty Morphin Power Rangers: Once and Always, the return of Rita Repulsa activates the Bandora Protocol. This is something unseen in previous Power Rangers lore, though it's not entirely made up. As with most of the footage for the original Mighty Morphin Power Rangers, Rita first appeared in the Japanese series Kyōryū Sentai Zyuranger. An entry in the Super Sentai franchise, the series was successfully used by Haim Saban to create the first iteration of Power Rangers, with the suits and Zords now more synonymous with the latter franchise than its Japanese predecessor.
In Zyuranger, the character known in the West as Rita Repulsa was called Witch Bandora (or Majo Bandora in Japanese). Though she shared the same design and magical powers as Rita, Bandora had a far different backstory. Her feud against children and dinosaurs stemmed from the death of her son in Earth's prehistoric past, which saw her son Kai killed by a T. Rex. She swore vengeance against dinosaurs and sold her soul for the power to gain it, becoming a dangerous villain. Though her outbursts were similar to the ones Rita had, she was a somewhat more understanding villain than her Western counterpart, even praising and congratulating her allies when their ideas succeeded.
Once and Always Has Tons of Power Rangers Easter Eggs
The ties to Super Sentai make a lot of sense given that Mighty Morphin Power Rangers: Once and Always is meant to embrace the series' history, namely since it's in celebration of the franchise's 30th anniversary. This sees it bring back classic Power Rangers actors such as David Yost and Walter Jones, with the entire breath of the Mighty Morphin era represented in some way. Thus, having them fight a new version of Rita is arguably necessary, as she was the first and still most iconic foe. Another important part of the special's nature could also bring about even more Easter Eggs.
Unlike when the series first started, Once and Always is not dependent upon footage from Sentai. Thus, classic Rangers, monsters and other elements can all show up without needing to worry about matching up with an original Japanese version. This leaves room for a lot more homages than would normally be allowed, as showcased by the "Bandora Protocol." It's unknown just how much of Once and Always will reference Zyuranger or other Super Sentai shows, but it seems to be part of a greater effort to connect the legacy of the two very different franchises.